IU, born May 16, 1993, celebrated her birthday on the 16th by renting out CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall to spend quality time with her fans, UAENA.
During the event, IU held a screening for the MBC Friday-Saturday drama ’21st Century Grand Princess’, in which she starred as Seong Hee-joo.
After the screening of ’21st Century Grand Princess’, IU shared her honest thoughts on finishing the project. She said, “There are more days for us to meet this year. I hope to see those of you who came today again on another great day.” She added, “I think it’s because I’m currently preparing an album and the drama is nearing its end, but I feel I need to do even better. Lately, I’ve been thinking that I should act with more responsibility.”
Addressing the criticism regarding her acting in the drama, she stated, “I want to do my best for all of you, so it is entirely my fault that I disappointed you or showed shortcomings.”
IU promised, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. It’s something I could have handled better if I had just worked harder. Since I am someone who receives so much love from you, I will do better. I will live my life without wasting a single moment to become an IU who shows a better side of herself with more responsibility.”
She continued, “I’m so grateful that you still love and support me despite my many flaws. I believe everything you say has a reason and is something I must accept. If there are areas where I am lacking, please tell me more, scold me, and push me. I will listen to that and work hard to become a better person.”
Speaking in a choked-up voice, IU became emotional while thanking her fans. “I’m late in saying this, but I love you. I want to show you a better side of myself, but I’m sorry that there are still shortcomings. Thank you for continuing to give me chances and looking at me with affection. Regardless, I will work harder and do better,” she said, bowing 90 degrees.
Specifically, in episode 11 of ’21st Century Grand Princess’, critics pointed out that during Prince Ian’s coronation, the crowd shouted “Cheonse” (used by vassal states belonging to an empire) instead of “Manse” (a symbol of an independent nation). It was also noted that Prince Ian wore a “Guryumyeon-gwan”, which is worn by feudal lords who are subjects of an emperor. Additionally, there were criticisms that Seong Hee-joo performed a Chinese-style tea ceremony.
Following the controversy, the production team of ’21st Century Grand Princess’ released an official statement on the 16th, saying, “We sincerely bow our heads and apologize to the many people who watched the drama with affection for causing concern regarding the world-building settings and historical verification issues.” They added, “We take the viewers’ points seriously, specifically that the scene where the king wears a ‘Guryumyeon-gwan’ and the subjects shout ‘Cheonse’ during the coronation damages our country’s sovereign status.”
They continued, “This issue occurred because we failed to carefully examine how Joseon’s etiquette changed throughout history.” They admitted the mistake, stating, “’21st Century Grand Princess’ is a drama with the characteristics of a romance and an alternative history piece. While careful and in-depth consideration was needed for the intersection of a fictional world and real historical context, our efforts to refine the world-building and examine it closely were insufficient.”
The production team announced that they will correct the audio and subtitles of the problematic parts in future reruns, VOD, and OTT services.
’21st Century Grand Princess’ reached a happy ending, showing Prince Ian (played by Byeon Woo-seok) stepping down from the throne to spend his newlywed life as a commoner with Seong Hee-joo. The drama concluded with a peak viewership rating of 13.8%.
